We can all get out for our daily exercise - but how do we exercise our minds to stop us feeling anxious during the coronavirus outbreak?

Here, life coach Vikki Rimmer, who runs Eynsford-based Press On, gives some tips on how to feel calm and give your brain a workout too.

Vikki said: "Joe Wickes is leading the nation's children in a PE work out every week day, but it's also essential that we keep our mental health and wellbeing in good shape.

"Did you know that your brain is flexible and can develop new patterns of behaviour if practised enough? The scientific term for it is 'neuro-plasticity'. So, as you flex your muscles or bounce on the trampoline, think about what you could do differently with your brain. What new behaviour would you like to learn? If you want to learn to relax, have more calm in your life or be more motivated, then there are exercises to help your brain encourage you to do this physically."

Here are her top tips:

1. Breathe. Slowly and surely does it. When we breathe deeply, in for four and out for five, we help our autonomic nervous system to calm itself and relax.

2. Stay connected to friends and family via technology. Loneliness and feeling disconnected can really affect your mental and physical wellbeing. Whatsapp has provided a space for my daughter to play with her friends at breaktime, and to find a space to have a virtual lunch! Simulating our regular activities enables our brains to run their familiar and positive pathways - and while your friend or family member, may be only on screen, the actual act of seeing their face, seeing it move, recognising the familiar facial expressions, taps in to your remembered times with that person and stimulates the same neurology and feel-good chemicals that you experience when you are in the same room as each other.

3. Stretch your brain. The brain is incredibly adaptable and has 'plasticity'. Learning new things literally stimulates new pathways in the brain and helps you to create new positive ways of thinking, so why not take a course online? The Open University offers lots of free online courses that can span anything from a couple of hours to full on credits towards a degree.

4. Do you have a skill you'd like to share or learn? Perhaps you're an amazing artist, leader of a book group, member of a church choir, phenomenal guitarist or pilates teacher. Why not set up an informal class via Zoom or host a jam session in Google Hangout? You can even record your Hang out and share it with others.

5. Visualise. If you can take yourself back to a lovely memory, a time that you enjoyed, a fantastic holiday or to a field or beach in Kent then you will stimulate the same feel-good chemicals you experienced when you were last there. In order to do this effectively, close your eyes for a moment (if it's safe to do so!) and really take yourself back to that time. Imagine the sights around you, the sounds, what it felt like, visualise what you were wearing, the temperature of the air etc. These visual, auditory and 'feelings' act on our brain and anchor us to a good feeling. In Neurolinguistic programming this is called 'anchoring' - and it's a bit like when you smell the smell of sun-tan lotion, it can take you back to that perfect holiday and those physical and mental good vibrations.

6. Gratitude. Generally, if you ask someone to recall all the negative things that happened in their day, they will have a long list for you, but if you ask for positive things this can sometimes be more of a challenge. This is because the brain over reacts and creates more neural energy in response to negative events. Researchers have pointed to the 5:1 ratio and say that if we try to offset a negative thought with 5 positive ones, then we will be on the right track to reducing it's power. If you start the day thinking about the three things that worked yesterday, three things you are grateful for, and the intention you'd like to have for the day eg. to be calm, to smile more, then this can set you up for a better day.

Find more tips from Vikki here.

The best websites for learning a language

For more ideas on things to do at home now, click here